I Hear the Bells
by o0MissBennet0o
Summary: She wanted to be free from her past, and he needed to learn to let go. Sequel to Breaking up and Moving on.
1. Head in the clouds

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay in the sequel for Breaking up an moving on!!! I have no excuse, I was a very bad, bad author!!! So here it is, the first chapter, and I'm already working on the second. It should be up by next week. And also,**** the winner for my challenge was Kates Master. Congradulations, girl!!!**

**For those who haven't read "Breaking up and Moving on": you'll be a little confused because this is the sequel, so if you want, check out the first fic.**

**I used the song "You again" by Kate Havnevik to inspire me. Check it out, it works very well with the chapter!**

**A huge shout out for Juniper375 for been my beta on this fic!!! You rock, girl!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, only the first season DVD.**

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Seeley Booth dropped himself in the right chair by the window. Flying was always a bad experience for him, and in this very early morning he was planning on sleeping through the whole flight. The sun wasn't even up, the plane was still in the airport and yet, he already regretted getting up from his bed.

The dreadful phone call was placed three days ago, but it still felt like it hours ago.

Brennan and Sully left for a much deserved vacation two months after the proposal. He wanted Central America, she wanted Asia. They agreed on England. She wanted two weeks, he wanted four. They settled for three. He wanted to visit London; she wanted to see the ancient castles, churches and museums. They decided to spend their time on a luxurious bed and breakfast on the countryside.

One week and half after their arrival, phone calls were placed to the team. Angela was the first to get it, and she squealed with happiness, promising to pass on the message to Hodgins and Zach. His phone call was on the same day, different time.

He was sitting in his office, nurturing a bad cup of FBI coffee when his cell phone rang. When the familiar voice came through, his heart skipped a beat. Temperance.

Since the day she cared for him when he was drunk they haven't spoken. She tried, but he wouldn't talk to her. He needed time to put himself completely together. When she was leaving for her vacation, a letter was left for him in his office, telling him where she was going, how long she was staying, where he could reach her, not that he would. The letter ended with hugs and kisses, and it was signed Bones. His Bones.

He spent most of his days emerged in his work, occupying his head with anything but her. But when that phone call came, his efforts turned out to be pointless. Just the sound of her voice was enough to drive him to the edge. The sweet melody that kept him up all night was back to haunt him.

First she commented on the bad weather, saying it changed from sun to rain in seconds. Then she talked about the inn, saying it was a lovely, also huge place and that she got a lot of rest. He knew she was stalling to tell him something important, but he didn't care. He would let her rant about dirt if she wanted, just to prolong the phone call.

But then her tone got a bit more serious, indicating she was ready to tell him whatever it was she was holding back before.

"Booth?" she called sweetly, checking to see if she had his attention.

"Yes?" he answered, expectantly. He wished she would just blurt everything out in her usual method.

"Booth, Sully and I talked a lot and …"

"Whatever it is just say it Bones," he said, desperate for her to just say it.

"We're getting married," she said fast, "Within a week and a half, here in England". There was a pause in the other side of the phone, and she dreaded that he had hung up.

"Oh..." was the only thing he could say at that moment. She was getting married? But, why? What was the hurry? Then a thought crossed his mind… "Are you pregnant?"

"What?" she asked in a piercing tone.

"Well, I'm just wondering why you're in such a hurry. That's all," he said, fully aware of how lame his attempt to question her was.

"No, Booth, I'm not pregnant. We just decided that, if we're doing this, why not do it here? It's a beautiful place, we're already on vacation and we don't want a big wedding, so…" she wasn't sure why she felt that she needed to explain herself to him, but something compelled her to do it.

"So you're getting married in less then two weeks in England?" he wanted to take the judging tone out of his voice but found that he couldn't. Why was she doing this?

"Yes Booth. And the reason why I'm calling is because I want my friends to be here, including you," especially you, she said mentally.

"I don't know if I can get off of work…" he lied, knowing full well that he had a lot of days to take. What he couldn't voice was how much it would hurt to see her walk down that aisle.

"Come on Booth, I know you have extra days," she said, her tone pleading. You know me too well, he thought. "Please, come? I need you here too," she said honestly. And it was the truth. She refused to do anything without him. She found that she just… couldn't.

He could tell she was being honest with him. She needed him, but could he do that? Could he watch her place a wedding ring on another man's finger, and swear her love for him? He still loved her, which was no secret because everyone knew that. But how far was he willing to go for her? Did he love her enough to let her go?

He did, with every breath he took to calm his rapidly beating heart; he knew he loved her enough.

"I'll call Angela and set up the flight details," he said and could almost hear her smile through the phone.

"You don't know how much this means to me, Booth," she said softly, and he could feel in her voice the emotions. Who knew Temperance Brennan could turn into such a loving woman? And he could proudly say that he had everything to do with the wonderful transformation. "Bye Booth," she said in a sweet way.

"Bye Bones," and he put the phone back in the cradle, dropping himself in his office chair.

Three days latter, everyone was ready the very long trip they were about to take. Angela had set up the tickets and the flight reservations, warning everybody not to be late. Being extremely excited for her best friend, she had spend the remaining days planning the wedding, knowing for sure that Brennan wasn't even thinking about doing that. Surfing the internet, Angela had come across everything she needed.

While the plane was taking off, Booth stole a glance at the person sitting next to him. The soft breathing told Booth that sleep had taken over, and a snoring brought a smile on his lips. He had been truly delighted that Brennan had invited Parker for the wedding as well as Rebecca. The poor boy was awoken with a lot of reluctance, and only agreed to get out of bed after his mom told him it was the day they were traveling to see Tempe.

It was both odd and surprising to Booth to see how his exes got along, as well as his son with Brennan. She had taken a lot of respect in Rebecca for the independent nature the blonde had, and Rebecca had taken a liking in Brennan's blunt way of being honest. They had gotten along despite Booth's hesitance in the beginning. As for Parker, it was impossible for Brennan to resist the mini-Booth, and the boy had fallen for her in his own childish way just as quickly as the father.

Hodgins and Zach had fought not to seat next to each other, but ended up together anyway. Angela had sat with Rebecca in order to discuss "girly stuff" as Hodgins had pointed out. The pair was extremely excited, as well as annoyingly loud, what caused a few kicks in the chair made by Booth, sitting behind them.

They had taken an early flight in order to get to London by the afternoon. From the airport they would take the rental cars Angela booked in order to take the road to the inn where Brennan and Sully were.

It would be a long time until they landed now, and considering his sleeping companion he had no alternative but to entertain himself. A book was out of question given that he didn't pack any, and the movie being showed would probably bore him to death. So instead he turned his Ipod on and the sound of "Hot Blooded" came through the head phones.

"Can't a guy catch a break?" he murmured under his breath.

Reclining the chair to a laying position he threw his head back and changed the song, hoping for a trip with Brennan-free thoughts.

Who was he kidding?

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**England is such a romantic country!!! I thought everyone would get it right because of my pen name. I will be using Rebecca for the fic because I wanted another female, but Cam just wouldn't work for me. I'm not copying Goldpiece's idea from "What happens is Vegas", I already asked for her permission, because I think it's the right thing to do, okay? Leave me your ideas, your suggestion, anything!!! I love to know what you think!!! And give me ideas you want for the wedding!!!**


	2. The silver memories

**A/N: Okay, so here I am to post the new chapter!!! It's a bit boring (I admit) but it's a necessary evil, so I'm really sorry!!! The next will be more exciting. I'm already writing the it, so it could be up by the weekend. If you have any suggestions, let me know beacause I love to know what you think. Also, forgive me for any wrong information about the London streets, I killed myself with the maps, but I can hardly get around in my own home town!!!**

**I got to say I'm worried because I got such good response for the fisrt fic and I got so little (but lovely) reviews that I don't know if it's good or bad. If you like it, let me know!!!**

**A huge thanks to JuniperJayne for helping me so much!!! You are the best!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.**

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"Don't run Parker," yelled Seeley Booth as he watched his son's gold locks flying around as the little boy ran over to catch up with his mother, who was walking beside Angela. The London Heathrow airport was loaded as their flight landed. It was already the afternoon and the sun was brighter than ever when the wedding party made their way through the busy crowd in order to get their luggage.

"Mommy, mommy," yelled Parker, pulling on the hem of Rebecca's skirt, "When are we going to see Tempe?" asked the boy when his mother picked him up, balancing the small child on her hip.

"Well, bud, first we have to get the car and drive for a while to get to the inn where she is staying," said Rebecca as she walked quickly over to Booth, signaling for him to get hers and Parker's bags.

"So, we can go to the rental, it is right next to the airport. I booked two cars for us so it won't get cramped," said Angela, holding a small handbag, "Who's going with whom?" Behind her, Zach and Hodgins struggled to carry the large amount of luggage that the artist had brought.

"I think we girls should go together and the boys can get the other car," suggested Rebecca, putting her son down to get her large bag from Booth, holding the Parker's hand with her free one.

"That could work, but your bags go with you Ange," said Hodgins, piling up the suitcases.

"Fine, but you'll help me carry it," said the brunet, pointing a finger at her boyfriend.

And the group set off to the car rental. For their luck, it was indeed right next to the airport.

While Angela went inside to set the details the rest waited in the warm bright sun. When she came out, they waited for the cars to be brought, which didn't took too long as a minute later their vehicles were parked in front of them. Angela got the keys from one of the maneuvers while Booth got the other.

Hodgins helped Angela place her large bags on the trunk along with Rebecca's. Booth placed his bag and Parker's on the trunk, laughing when Zach almost got knocked over by his own bag when he tripped, loosing balance. Parker got in the car, choosing the left side of the back sit. Zach got in and sat on the other side, watching as the small boy got his game boy from his coat pocket and started playing.

Hodgins and Booth had a quick disagreement over who should drive. The girls watched amused as Hodgins puffed his chest up to confront the agent. He only surrendered when Booth gave him a very convincing argument: he had a gun. After that, the entomologist gave the larger man a very dirty look and got in the car, sitting on the passenger's side with his arms crossed over his chest, pouting.

As the two cars began to move around Bath Road, the London view passed too quickly before their eyes. Everything running in a blur as they sped up to get to the inn before sunset. In the boys' car, the silence was the reining rule, while in the girls' car, the conversation was flowing joyfully.

A long time after they left the airport, the view started to change. Instead of the countless hotels, they saw the small houses lined up, putting together the lovely sight of the outskirts of London. Angela made a mental note to spend some time in the city after the wedding. The shopping possibilities were endless.

"So… I didn't expect Tempe to do this," started Rebecca.

"Yeah, well… I guess nobody really expected. That's the thing with Brennan, you never really know what comes next," said Angela as she struggled to maneuver the car through the tight streets. Driving on the left side was proving to be a challenge for the artist.

"Do you think it'll be a calm and simple wedding?" asked Rebecca, glancing at the now smiling driver.

"You mean if I think that Booth and Sully will behave?" sent back the artist, blowing a sigh," I don't know… I hope so. I don't want anything to ruin Brennan's happiness".

"Yeah, but…" Angela felt a question coming, but the blonde never voiced it.

"But what?" asked the brunet, arching one eyebrow skyward.

"It's just… I don't know," said Rebecca, trying to find the words to express her thoughts, "When they were together, I really thought it would last, you know? I had never seen Seeley as happy as he was with her, and then… BAN, it was over".

Angela kept her hands on the wheel as she glanced at Rebecca. The point was valid as the same question ran through her head for months now. Was Brennan really doing the right thing?

"I think Booth got careless. I lost track of how many times he would go in the lab and say he was sorry for like a hundred times before Brennan would give in. One time it was a forgotten dinner, then it was a late night in the office or an important date," said Angela, going through her mind for every event.

"I never thought she would care about that sort of thing," said Rebecca.

"She never did, but when they started dating, they made an agreement. They would both commit to give their best to keep the relationship going. It wasn't a lot to ask, but for Brennan, it was. She wasn't the type of person to care about that sort of thing, but she made the effort. For countless times I helped her pick out programs for her and Booth to do, or give her books that helped".

"So she really tried," said the blonde woman.

"Yes, she did. But there is more to this that she lets me know. Booth started to distance himself, and she got lonely. And for Brennan, there is nothing worst than abandon," one turn and Angela realized that they were almost out of the city, "I'm not saying that Brennan was perfect. Sometimes, they would fight for the stupidest things ever just because she was too hard headed, but she was doing her best".

"And Seeley wasn't?" asked Rebecca. She had never heard the entire story of why they broke up, and she was finding it highly intriguing.

"Well, at first, yeah. He was really sweet with her, practically living in that lab. Every night he would come and drag her from her remains just to have dinner at Wong Foo's while bickering over the most stupid things. Every day he would drop her off and pick her up. It was really sweet to watch, you know?" said Angela, a bittersweet look in her eyes.

"I know he can be like that when he wants to. But there is a part of Seeley that I never knew. And for the way he looked at her and she looked at him, I just knew that everything he kept from me, he showed to her," said Rebecca. The rural landscape continued to pass outside the car, but both women didn't even notice.

"I never understood why everything fell apart. It started out slowly. One day she would come in alone and I would notice her staring at the phone, willing it to ring. Other times she would be in the lab really late, glancing at her watch every five minutes. Then he stopped answering his phone and she got all worked up, thinking that he could have been shot just to find out that he turned it off".

"But that doesn't seem like him. He was never unconsidered," said Rebecca, frowning.

"I know, and that's what makes everything even more confusing. I know he's not like that, but it all went to hell, and at some point, Brennan had enough," said Angela, maneuvering the car through a bridge. She just then started to notice her surrounding.

The high mountains defined the horizon as the sun began its descent. Angela observed as the sky was painted in a light pink tone, taking this a sign that the night was approaching, and so should be the inn. Glancing at the rear view mirror, she saw the boys' car.

"Good thing I kept them behind me, otherwise we would be lost by now," said Angela, smiling.

"True. They always get lost," complemented the blonde.

"Anthropologically speaking, man can't read maps or ask for information," said Angela in her best Brennan tone.

"You got that right," said Rebecca laughing along.

In the other car, the atmosphere was a little less… cheery.

"Dude, you've got to stop doing that," said Hodgins as he watched Booth tap his fingers in the wheel in a very rhythmical beat. The agent stooped with his activities and glanced at the entomologist in a menacing way.

"I'm the one driving, and, I'm the one with the gun, so…" with that he started to tap his fingers again in a cheery rhythm.

"Hey, I understand that you're nervous about this whole thing, but you've got to calm down. It's going to be a long week, so you've got to keep it together," said Hodgins.

"Hey, I'm not nervous, okay? I just don't like to travel," said Booth. He knew Hodgins was right, but as long as he continued to lie to himself, he could believe the lie.

"I'm just saying, if Angela was getting married to another man, I would be in serious need of anger management," through clenched teeth Booth blew a snort, and a grim appeared on his face.

"How about we don't talk for the rest of the trip? How does that sound?" asked the agent, letting it clear to the other man that the matter was closed. Hodgins glanced one more time at Booth before resigning. This would be something for Angela to deal with later.

And so it was how the rest of the trip was spent. The only noise that could be heard in the car was the small voice of Parker explaining to Zach how to play the game boy. Booth smirked, _typical squint_, he thought. Zach was truly a male version of Brennan sometimes.

He remembered the first time he took her bowling. His alpha male pride was bruised after she won her first game. But the happiness he saw in her eyes made him happy. And the kisses he won after every strike she made weren't bad either. Teaching her wasn't so bad after all.

And as the sun descended to hide behind the proud mountains of England Booth was lost in a sea of memories from a time when everything was perfect. A time when he could still hold her and call her his. He was shaken off his reverie by a voice calling out to him.

"Booth," called Hodgins, shaking the agent's shoulder.

"What?" asked Booth, lightly irritated.

"The girls are stopping," he said, indicating the car in front of them which was indeed parked now in front of a large metal gate. Stopping his own vehicle, Booth stepped out and walked towards the left side, tapping on the window for Rebecca to open.

"Why did you stopped?" he asked after the window was rolled down.

"We're here," Angela answered with a smile, "Could you open the gate for us, please?" she asked with a very soft and helpless voice. Chick's tricks always worked.

"Sure," he said and moved to the gate. Grabbing the metal bars he pushed the first half with a lot of effort, doing the same with the other half. Angela maneuvered the car inside, sending Booth a kiss on her way in.

Turning on his heels, he got back into the car and drove until the vehicle was in. Getting out, he once again pushed the extremely heavy gates until it was closed.

As Angela drove, she understood why Brennan chose this place to stay. The road to get to the inn was large, and on each side the trees were tall and lined, making a perfect welcoming path. As she first saw a glimpse of the main house her jaw fell. It was two floors mansion, the entire front was obvious made out of marble. The column stood tall in pair in each side of the entrance door, and red roses surrounded the entire house.

Angela made her way out of the car, followed by Rebecca. A deep frown was on her forehead as she took in her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the amount of cars parked in front of the inn. From a quick look, she counted at least ten. The second thing she noticed was the large delivery vans. Squinting to get a better read of the logo on the side, she frowned even deeper at the name.

"Forever love, Wedding coordinators?" she asked out loud. As she looked back, she noticed that the men were also frowning, probably wondering the same thing she was.

"What the hell is going on here?" she asked to no one in particular. Brennan had some explaining to do.

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**What the hell is going on? Want to know? So send me a review to get me happy! Happy writters work faster, it's a fact! Send me your seggestions and thoughts!!! Up next, we finally meet Brennan and Sully!!! **


	3. Newton's law

**A/N: Okay, so I'm trying really hard to write every day but my work doesn't let me and it sucks. This chapter is long, but is way better than the two first ones (at least to me) I hope you like it, I had a lot of fun writing it. Brennan and Sully are finally here!!!**

**I want to send a huge thank you to JuniperJayne and to everyone that left me a review. It really helped me to continue with this fic!!! I hope everyone who hasn't left me a message feel encoraged to leave one now, because your opinion matters a lot (you're the ones who read it). So scream at me, call me names, but leave your mark on my review page!!!**

**Disclaimer: Big news, I don't own Bones.**

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The valet was quickly beside Angela's car as the brunet and the blonde started to unload their bags from the trunk. The boys already had their bags piled beside the car. Everyone was still taking in their surroundings. The many delivery vans were lined up, each painted in a light tone of pink. As the girls bags were loaded into a small cart the boys made their way to the entrance along with Angela and Rebecca.

"Didn't Bones said it would be a small wedding?" asked Booth as they crossed the entrance door. Inside, they were greeted with a large sophisticated lounge. The walls were painted in a very light tone of yellow and many paintings decorated them The floor was made out of a dark wood, and Parker was amused to see that his image reflected back at him. The mahogany furniture was adorned with large vases, and white roses colored the room.

"She said it would be just us and maybe Sully's parents," Angela said, locating the front desk. Walking over she was greeted by a petite blonde woman with green eyes, not looking older than twenty-five.

"Hello, welcome to the Roseville Inn. My name is Katherine, how can I help you?" she said, her British accent making every word seem like poetry.

"Hi, I made reservations for three rooms. It's under Angela Montenegro," said the artist.

"Just one minute," Katherine said as she typed something on the keyboard. Quickly the information came, "Yes, we have your rooms all set up. You are here for the wedding, right?" she asked.

"Yes, we are," answered Angela.

"Is there more than one wedding this week?" asked Booth, and Katherine diverted her eyes to the tall man.

"No, there is only one. Our inn is large, but there are only enough rooms to one wedding party," she said, smiling widely to Booth.

"All the rooms are booked?" asked Rebecca, alarmed.

"Yes, they are. Is there a problem?" Katherine asked, her brow furrowed.

"No, it's just… My friend, Temperance said that the inn was almost empty. She said it was basically just her, her fiancé and a couple of elderly people," said Angela.

"The other guests arrived yesterday. All the rooms were booked for the wedding on the same day you called to book yours," Katherine said, "I'll get your keys," she said and turned her back to them.

Angela took this time to voice her thoughts, "What the hell is going on?"

"Angela, watch your language," warned Booth, covering Parker's ears.

"Sorry, honey, it's a reflex," she said, sending Booth an apologetic smile, "Back to business, what is going on here? Brennan never said that she was inviting anyone else. I didn't even know she had this many friends".

"Maybe they're all Sully's friends," said Hodgins, watching his girlfriend scrambling her brains for an answer.

"Maybe," she said, and as a cue Katherine appeared with three keys dangling on her hand.

"Here are the keys, and I hope you enjoy your stay. Your bags will be carried to your rooms, and if you need anything, just call the front desk," Katherine said as she handed the keys to Angela. Rebecca then leaned over the desk.

"Could you maybe point us to the groom and bride?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but we don't disclose information about other guests," she said in a very professional tone. Booth then leaned over the desk beside Rebecca, sending Katherine a dazzling smile.

"Look Kathy, can I call you Kathy?" she smiled widely at him, "We just want to know where they are right now, we don't need any room information. Please?"

She looked uncertain for a second, but her smile came back as she gazed at Booth, "Fine, you all go to your rooms and I'll send a bellboy when I locate the couple", she said, and reaching out she ran her fingers over his hand, "And you can call me Kat".

Angela and Rebecca exchanged looks before saying in unison, "Men," and with that they all turned to walk to the stairs. As they started to climb the steps a question was raised by Zach, "Who's going to share a room with whom?"

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to Angela, "What? You want me to decide? Okay. Jack stays with me, Rebecca stays with Parker and Zach can stay with Booth", Angela said as they reached their floor.

"I'm not sharing a room with the kid," Booth said, pointing at Zach.

"I'm fairly certain that agent Booth will shoot me in my sleep," said Zach, his eyes begging for a change of setting.

"Fine, then… Okay, I can stay with Rebecca, Zach can stay with Jack and Booth stays with his son. Every okay with this?"

"I am. I like to stay with my daddy," said Parker, glancing up from his game boy.

"I'm not," said Hodgins, "I much rather sleep with you, Ange".

"Yeah, but you'll live and no-one will get shot, I hope," she said, pointing a finger to the trigger-happy agent, "So, everyone, off to your rooms and when Kat sends the bellboy, you'll call the rest Booth," Angela said, turning on her heels to her respective room.

Luckily, they were all next to each other. Angela and Rebecca got in the room 245, to their right Booth and Parker got the 244, and Hodgins and Zach were situated in the number 246. Their bags were waiting in Angela's room, so she and Rebecca distributed them for their respective owners.

"This is gorgeous", said Angela when she finally had the time to take in the room. The decoration was quite similar to the lounge, the walls were a light yellow, paintings adorned them, and white roses were standing on the nightstand, "And look at these beds," she told Rebecca, pointing at the two queen size beds. Running towards the one near the window, she childishly dropped herself in a thud, disarraying the covers.

"So I take that you want the one by the window?" asked Rebecca laughing.

"You don't mind?" Angela asked, hugging the pillows.

"No, not at all," said the blonde, dropping her bag in the bag.

"Look, they put chocolate under the pillow," Angela said, showing the candy, "And their Swedish. My favorite," she said, finally getting up from the bed to get her suitcase.

"Do you think it'll have any problems with this wedding?" asked Rebecca as she opened her bag. Taking out pile by pile of clothes, she decided to use the time they had to unpack. Following Rebecca's lead, Angela started to do the same.

"Knowing Booth, Sully and Brennan, I can certainly say that we are in for a lot of trouble," said Angela, opening the first drawer inside the closet to put all her top and blouses. A silent agreement was made between the women, the right side was Angela's, the right one was Rebecca's.

"Knowing them I'm sure it will have many catastrophic situations," said Rebecca while lining up her shoes.

"At least we'll have fun," said Angela laughing as she admired her work. For someone who packs as much as she does, she unpacks pretty quickly.

Neatly arranging her toiletries in the bathroom sink Rebecca walked back to the room to see Angela standing in front of the mirror wearing only her panties and bra, trying to decide what to wear.

"Put on a dress", suggested Rebecca, taking off her own clothes.

"Good idea," looking through the closet, Angela picked a light green dress with spaghetti straps, the hem reaching her knees. Putting it on, she was satisfied with the result it had along with her sandals. Turning to face Rebecca she was surprised to find her already dresses in a blue top and skirt.

"I work fast, I have a kid remember?" she said laughing. At this, someone knocked on the door. Opening the door, Seeley Booth pushed his head inside the room.

"The bellboy came, Bones and Sully are in the apple orchard," said Booth, holding the door open for the women to step out. All the men were expecting them on the hall.

"There's an apple orchard here?" asked Angela, frowning. She didn't notice it.

"It's behind the main house," said Booth, having asked the same question to the bellboy, "Everyone ready?" he asked.

"Are you?" asked Angela, her meaning not lost in the agent.

"Yes I am," he said, his voice more confident than he felt.

"Okay then," turning, Angela led the way to the stairs. Descending slowly not to fall on her heels, she supported herself on Jack, linking their arms. He smiled at her, sending a kiss. Parkers bounced up and down, excitedly telling his mother and father everything he wanted to do. The small boy had a lot of energy.

When they reached the lounge, Angela asked for information on how to get to the orchard. A tall man she recognized as the valet that helped them instructed the directions, and the artist politely thanked him. Following the mental map she made with the coordinates they crossed the lounge, the restaurant until they reached the glass doors on the further side of the inn.

As they stepped outside, the view took their breath away. The apple orchard was extended until their eyes could see. The last rays of the sun illuminated the way, and at the very far end, the mountains completed the England country side.

They all just stood there, admiring the sunset, that was until the fatal question came, "How are we going to fin them in here?" asked Zach, the first to tare his eyes from the view. It was always up to the young boy to say what everyone was thinking.

"The bellboy say that for security measures, the guests are instructed to stay close to the entrance of the orchard, to avoid getting lost," said Booth. They descend the stair, reaching the entrance.

"Are we going to split up to find them?" asked Hodgins. Booth held up a finger at him, as if asking for silent.

"We won't have to," said Booth, pointing at his right, "They're that way," he said walking towards the supposed noise.

"What was that? Are you a bloodhound? He went into sniper mode," said Hodgins, laughing with Angela as they followed the agent. Soon the voices became clear for the rest of then as the image of Temperance Brennan came into view.

"Sully, come on. It's almost dark," she said, holding up a basked as apples were falling from the tree.

"Come on, the sun is not even down yet," came Sully's reply. From what they could observe, he was up on the tree. He continued to throw the apples down, and Brennan caught most of them, laughing.

"Tempe," came a small scream and Brennan turned startled to see Parker running towards her. Dropping on her knees she hugged the boy hard, getting up with him balanced on her hip.

"Hey guys," she greeted her friends as they approached the scientist. Her vacation look was quite different from the serious Dr. Brennan they saw everyday in the lab. Her red dress flowed around her small frame as her hair fell in waves around her face. Barefooted, her sandals lay forgotten under the tree.

"Sweetie, you've been holding out on us," said Angela as she hugged and kissed her best friend, still holding Parker on her hip.

"Why?" she asked as the rest came to get their hugs.

"Tempe, it's so good to see you," said Rebecca as she hugged Brennan, extracting her son from the cinnamon haired woman.

"Dr. Brennan," called Zach awkwardly, "I hope you're enjoying your vacation," he said, smiling a very small smile.

"Yes, I am," she said, turning to face Hodgins, "And how are you? Still putting up with Angela?" she asked as he hugged her.

"Hey," came Angela's offended yelp, "I'm the one that has to put up with him and his theories," she said laughing as he glared at her.

Last but not least came Booth. Standing a little further from the rest, he was uncertain as to how they should approach each other. Their last encounter wasn't pleasant, and a lot was left unsaid as she dropped the bomb on him. Now, standing there before him, she was silent and calm, a small smile playing on her lips as she watched him scrambling his brain for the perfect way to proceed.

"You think too much," she said suddenly, and then he realized that he was standing in front of her, lost in his thoughts.

"Too much time spent with you," he said with a smile. She stepped towards him, and he opened his arms as an invitation that she took.

"It's really good to see you, Booth," she said into his chest.

"It's good to see you too," he said, enjoying the feel of her body against his.

"Hey my little Newton, come up here and we'll test this whole law of gravity thing," Booth and Brennan jumped apart at the sound of Sully's voice from up the tree. He didn't notice the presence of her friends as he started to throw apples down again. Standing closer to the tree she didn't have time to dodge from the apple that came, hitting her in the head.

"Ouch, son of a…" she said, looking up to see that the apples were still falling. Bending over, she picked up one of the apples that fell on the ground, "Sul?" she called and he peaked his head through the leaves.

"Yes?" as he looked at her he didn't realized what her intention was. Throwing the apple, she hit him square in the face and he lost his balance, falling on a loud thud on the ground.

"Ouch, that hurt," he wined. Looking around, for the first time he realized that they weren't alone, "Hey everyone," he greeted, smiling with embarrassment.

"Hey Sully," said Angela, and again everyone proceeded with their greetings. Booth shook Sully's hand and both used a larger amount of strength than the necessary. Squeezing until the blood flow stopped they released each other as Sully went to stand behind Brennan, his hands snaking around her slender waist, resting on her stomach. She laid her hands in his, her body beginning to fell the drop in the temperature.

The very last ray of the sun descended on Brennan's form, reflecting the large diamond ring standing proudly on her finger as a reminder of why they just crossed the Atlantic to be in this place. Booth sighed, watching the blinding shine coming from her hand.

"Sweetie put that away before you blind somebody," Angela said to Brennan while watching Booth carefully. Brennan dropped her hand, laughing.

"So are you going to tell us why the entire inn is booked for the wedding? Or why there are delivery vans parked here? And mainly, why the heck were you out here at this hour? It's cold," asked Angela, not leaving time to breathe as she rubbed her arms in a failed attempt to get warmer.

"Rose," said Sully as if this explained everything.

"Rose?" asked Angela, trying to understand.

"Okay, the reason why we are here at thins hour is because we're hiding. And the reason why we're hiding is Rose," said Brennan. Angela remained confused, her brow furrowed.

"Timmy," a voice called from outside the orchard and both Sully and Brennan stood frozen, "Timmy," the female voice called again. Wide eyed, the couple exchanged looks of panic.

"Damn," Sully murmured under his breath as he watched the figure approach them.

"There you are," the figure said and everyone turned around to see a very elegant older woman walking towards them.

"Hi Rose," said Brennan, smiling tensely.

"Busted," whispered Sully on her ear.

As they watched the exchange, only one thing was running through everybody's mind: who the hell was Rose?

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**I know. You want to kill me now for leaving it like this? Describe the method, say anything, but leave your review!!! I'm working on the next chapter as we speak.**


	4. Testosterone Spill

**A/N: This fic has been on hold for some time now, but after some really nice reviews, I decided to give it another shot. So, I want to thank Goldpiece for being such an angel and helping me with the chapter and the fic by channeling her inner squint, MaryLovesFanfiction for listening and giving very helpful tips and suggestions and Bertie for revising and giving suggestions for future chapters. Also want to thank moosemer11 for sending messages of suport!!!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.**

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She tucked her hair behind her ear nervously while watching Rose drag Sully across the elegant dining room. By the way she gripped his arm tightly, Brennan knew he was trying to get away from her, but that was proving to be difficult since she'd been introducing him to her guests for about half an hour already.

Smiling, she watched him grimace when a particularly enthusiastic elderly woman kissed his cheeks three times on each side with more force than necessary. When she embraced him in a bone-crushing hug, Sully sent Brennan a pleading look, but she simply grinned wider at him.

"What's got you smiling now?" asked a voice from behind her. Turning around she was greeted by her best friend, a cheeky smile on her face as she pulled up a chair beside Brennan.

"Rose's disturbing grip on Sully," Brennan said, accepting the glass of wine that Angela had brought her. Behind the artist she saw the rest of the squint squad coming to their table, followed Rebecca with her son on her hip.

"She does seem a little too… attached," Angela said, grinning as she watched Sully slowly backing away from where his mother stood, distracted while she talked to someone Angela presumed was a friend of hers.

"A little?" Brennan asked with a raised eyebrow. "You've got to be kidding me. She hasn't left his side since she found us in the apple orchard. I can't get a minute alone with him since she arrived."

"Okay, I'll give you that," said Angela, smiling as Hodgins and the others sat at their table. The welcoming dinner was organized in a hurry but, nevertheless, everything was done beautifully by the inn staff. All the tables were decorated with fresh white roses, matching perfectly with the pearly tones of the tablecloth.

"Is she always like that?" asked Rebecca as she placed Parker on the chair beside her. The little boy seemed ready to jump off the chair any second to go and explore the new found territory so she kept a vigilant eye on her son.

"I'm not sure, but her behavior does seem to worsen around me," Brennan said, chuckling as she watched Sully duck behind a waiter when his mother began searching for him.

"She's his mother, sweetie. And he's an only child. He'll always be Timmy for her, and you're stealing her little boy," said Angela in a sweet tone, patting her friend's hand in reassurance.

"But it's not logical. She should realize that a marriage is a rite of passage which has its roots in male ownership. Historically speaking, it's related to a male gaining possession of a wife and property from her family to add to his wealth. Her family would be gaining assets, not losing a son."

"So essentially, she's not losing a son, but gaining a baby maker," said Hodgins, and everyone laughed except Brennan, who made no attempt to hide her grimace.

Zach piped up, excited to have something to contribute to the very interesting conversation taking place. "In ancient Rome, the couple would drink a honey based drink to hurry along the bride's menstrual cycle so they could conceive within first lunar phase after the wedding. Hence the term 'honeymoon'."

"I do not want to have children," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at the bug guy.

"Sweetie, did you tell Rose that you never want to have children?" asked Angela, a worried expression on her face as she waited for her friend's answer.

"Why should I have to? It's my decision, not hers," said Brennan, a deep frown forming over her delicate features as she tried to understand Angela's implication.

"Honey, if she's this protective over her son, then she'll want grand kids," the artist stated, crossing her arms in a Brennan-like manner as she smiled.

"It doesn't matter what she wants, it's still my decision." Her tone made it clear that this particular conversation was over. Before she could speak again, she felt the hair on the back of her neck standing up, and with a sigh, she knew he was right there, close to her.

With some hesitance she turned around, catching Booth's smile as he walked towards their table. She thought he looked just as handsome as the first day they met, back when she still hated the smell of his cologne as it lingered in the air, reminding her of the hard-headed agent she had to break in.

As his eyes locked with hers, Brennan felt herself get warmer inside from the intensity she saw in the eyes of her former lover. There, she could always see her past with him, the late night talks and the endless hours they shared, lost in each other's arms as they made love.

Was she bound to him, to stay for all eternity in a bittersweet state of remembrance? She had a new kind of love now; one that didn't hurt so much as his love used to and still did. Could she truly let go of the past? Could she ever let go of his love?

Before her thoughts could wander any further, she felt her fiancé's soft hands on her shoulders, and looking up, she was greeted by his carefree smile.

"What did I miss?" he asked, looking around one more time just to make sure Rose wasn't still searching for him.

"We were just discussing the new facts that came to light this week," said Brennan, pinching his arm since he looked like a troubled child who had just been caught by his teacher.

"Hey, I had no idea my mother would do this," he said, rubbing his arm while looking innocent. "I thought she would come alone; I didn't know she would invite so many people."

"While we're on the subject, who are all these people?" Booth asked as he settled at the table, finally deciding to participate in the conversation. His eyes locked with Brennan's again, her blue eyes shy and uncertain as she blushed under his stare. For a moment, they held each other's gazes before Sully's voice drew their attention back to him.

"I have a couple of uncles and cousins around here somewhere, but the rest… they're all friends of my mother." Clasping his hands in Brennan's soft ones, he kissed her knuckles with a smile while her eyes were unfocused, staring at her glass of wine as it sparkled against the light.

Sully called her name and through the haze of her own thoughts she found herself smiling at him in reassurance. He was a good man, and he loved her more than she thought was possible for someone to love her after Booth. Hurting him was the last thing she ever wanted to do.

He kissed her hand again, and this time, she focused her mind back on the conversation starting at the table. With another smile, she quickly blinked a few times, pushing all her thoughts away as Angela's joyful voice carried through the air.

"So… you two still haven't explained what all those vans are doing outside. I thought this was going to be a small wedding," the artist said, downing the rest of her wine before a waiter came and refilled it at her request.

"That's Rose's doing," the groom said, grinning at Brennan as she glared at him playfully before turning her gaze to Angela who was currently frowning at the couple.

"What do you mean? She hired those guys?" asked Hodgins as he played with a strand of Angela's hair while caressing her neck, causing the artist to laugh softly.

"She decided that since her only son was getting married this had to be an occasion to remember." Brennan's tone made it clear that she'd had no say in the matter, and the clench of her jaw was noticeable from across the room.

"Can you believe that she actually booked another room for him? We have to sleep separately now." The indignation was obvious to everyone as she huffed in frustration. For a brief second, Angela thought she saw something remarkably like amusement in Booth's eyes before it faded away quickly.

"Come on, Tempe, she just wants us to have a great wedding," Sully said, his tone sweet as he kissed her cheek, feeling it feverish under his lips.

It was Booth's turn to interfere. "I thought it was your decision what type of wedding you'd be having, or at least that Bones would have some say. It's none of my business, I know, but most people only get married once, so shouldn't it be what you want, not what mommy wants?"

"My mother is only looking out for us," Sully shot back. The tension was starting to rise as the squints glanced at each other, amusement in their eyes as they watched the back and forth between the agents.

"Oh for God's sake, you're consenting adults getting married. Making you sleep in separate rooms isn't looking out for you, it's controlling you." Before Booth could get anything else out of his mouth, which apparently just wouldn't close, he felt a sharp pain in his shin where Rebecca kicked him hard, effectively silencing any further remarks.

"How is it that she hired such a big company to coordinate the wedding at such short notice?" asked Rebecca, trying to change the subject as a way of lightening the thick atmosphere that had settled over the table. Shifting Parker closer to the table, she tried to make sure he didn't make a mess while eating dinner. The little boy giggled as his father made a face behind her, quickly becoming a picture of innocence when his ex turned around to verify the source of his son's amusement.

"That, my friend was accomplished with a lot of money and persuasion," Sully answered, taking a sip of Brennan's wine as she once again swirled the liquid nervously. Come to think of it, he'd noticed her doing that a lot in the last few hours.

"Rose is wealthy," simplified Brennan when she noticed the confused looks on her friends' faces.

"How much are we talking here?" asked Angela, leaning over to Brennan as if waiting for a secret to be shared.

The anthropologist smiled at her friend's behavior, but answered her anyway. "One third of Hodgins' wealth," said Brennan, doing a little search in her brain just to make sure her information was correct. "She owns a boat company."

Angela's eyes went wide as she processed the information. A new smile blossomed on her face as she watched Booth playing nervously with a napkin in his lap. A long time ago, Brennan had confided in Angela about Booth's issues with wealthy people, and it now seemed like the agent had found another reason to hate the competition.

"Are you kidding me?" the artist asked.

"No," Brennan said, "His mom is obscenely rich, and so is he."

"How come we never knew about that?" asked Angela, surprised that she didn't know since her radar was fully functioning. But seeing as his fiancée didn't know too, she imagined her shock wasn't that important.

"I don't really like people to know," Sully shrugged. "I have my own job, my own accomplishments and my own money. I don't want all that since I didn't earn it. I didn't have to work for it, I was just born rich. No effort involved."

"You and Hodgins have that in common," said Angela, kissing her bug guy on the cheeks sweetly as he leaned closer to her.

"I feel your pain, dude," said bug guy offered, trying to ease the mood. Angela ran her fingers through his curls, delighted by the softness she felt under her fingers.

"Timmy!" They heard Rose's voice echo across the room, and Brennan fought the urge to smack herself on the forehead as she felt, rather than saw, her future mother-in-law pulling Sully to his feet.

"Mom, I was kind of hoping to spend some time here, with my friends," he said, trying to pry his arm from her strong grip.

"Don't be silly, my dear, you'll have time for that later. Right now there are some people I want you to meet," she said, trying to drag him further away from his bride. He looked at Brennan, apology written all over his face as he bent over to her level.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, trying to stay on her good side as he felt his mother tugging on his sleeve, annoying him to no end.

"But you promised you would stay by my side during dinner," she said, her eyes soft as she whispered to him, holding his other arm as she tried to stop Rose from taking him away again. Both Sully and Booth opened their mouths to speak, but the second sharp kick on his shin prevented Booth from voicing his thoughts.

"Would you stop that?" he hissed in a whisper at Rebecca, receiving a glare from the blonde as she warned him with her eyes, y_ou stop it_.

"I'm sorry, Tempe. I promise I'll make it up to you," he said, kissing her forehead as he tried to cheer her up, "Maybe I can sneak into your room later tonight, okay?"

She didn't answer him, just nodded with a sad smile on her face as she tried to hold it together in front of her friends. Turning around, Sully let his mother drag him away form their table, fully ready to meet someone he was sure he couldn't care less about.

Putting on a brave façade, Brennan tried to smile reassuringly at her friends, sadness making its way into her heart as she pretended to be okay. But this was her wedding week, and that was her fiancé. What right did Rose have to keep them apart at every little opportunity she found? How could she simply dismiss her friends, her family, as less important than some stranger she'd never met and had no desire to do so?

Anger boiled up with the sadness, but she had years of practice in the fine art of hiding her emotions. A mask fell in place, and her smile brightened profoundly. Her act was so convincing that for a moment she forgot all about her conflicted feelings. But then she met his eyes.

His face was placid as he watched her, leaning back in the chair in a casual manner, his eyes were solemnly focused on her, on her porcelain face. The brown orbs sparkled in the light, compassion mixed with understanding staring back at her, emotions so intense she almost gasped when finally getting his message, loud and clear. _I'm here if you need me_.

Suddenly it became hard to breathe, and her chest tightened every time she inhaled and exhaled. With a brief apology and an excuse, she left with the purpose of getting some air. Long strides took her to the doors that led out to the apple orchard.

Greeted by a cold breeze, she hugged her arms close to her chest as she looked out, her eyes unfocused as she stared at a horizon only visible in day light. The stars sparkled above her head, lit like tiny glowing candles against the dark veil of the night.

The light click of heels on paving stones informed her of a presence behind her. Not Booth, but the next best thing. "I'm fine, Ange," she said, not bothering to turn around as she heard a small chuckle.

"I'm not even going to ask how you knew it was me," said the artist, taking a step closer as she leaned over the edge of the balcony beside Brennan. "But I will ask you if you're okay, and I'll expect a better answer than the first."

Brennan turned to her friend, her smile one of annoyance Angela knew so well. "Really, I'm fine. I'm getting married in a week, so what could possibly be wrong?" she asked, her tone light as she smiled. Angela didn't buy it for a second, but there was no pushing Brennan when she set out to hide her emotions.

"A lot of things can be wrong, sweetie. You just have to keep your eyes open to see that before it's too late." With a kiss on her friend's cheek, Angela hugged her once before turning to leave.

"Thanks, Ange," Brennan said, her brain still processing what her friend said.

"No problem. Just remember that I'm always here to talk," Angela said, winking at Brennan before turning back inside. With a long sigh, Brennan turned back to the darkened orchard, her eyes searching for the familiar crowns of the trees as she thought about everything.

If their welcome dinner was any indication, they were in for a very long week.

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**Now just leave me a review!!! We have more angst ahead!!!**


	5. Tempting Escape

**A/N: Here is the new chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! Also, thanks to everyone who left a review, your support means a lot to me, and that's why this fic is still going!**

**Thanks so much to Goldpiece for having endless patience with me with this chapter! You're too amazing! Also, a big thanks to bertie who took time in her busy schedule to revise this! Thanks! Also, I haven't forgotten you, MaryLovesFanfiction, so thanks to you too!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.**

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The sun was just beginning to rise over the mist-covered apple orchard. It promised to be a rainy day, just as many of the days before, but the forecasts predicted an imminent end to the heavy weather. Brennan didn't know if it was her own nature or just her exhaustion but warmth was the last thing she expected to feel today.

Dewy grass was pushed down under the soles of her shoes as she took another step, each one taking her further away from the main house. Despite being advised countless times to stay close to the entrance, she ignored their rules, hoping instead to find something beyond the confined orchard.

Cursing herself again for leaving her coat in her room, she hugged her arms tighter as the fog seemed to thicken, the sun starting to peek through the dense trees. Brennan could feel the mist engulfing her as she walked, the cold air making her shiver. Walking forward, she tucked a loose strand of hair back behind her ear, the large diamond on her finger tugging her hair slightly.

Lifting her slender fingers up to her face, she contemplated the ring glinting there proudly as a token of Sully's love. It was a symbol of her commitment to him, to their relationship and everything that came with it. But when she said yes to his request, she never knew what lay ahead.

Biting the inside of her cheek nervously, she tried to will any thoughts of Rose from her mind, but it seemed as though she was helpless against the invasion. The woman had barely met her and already she was taking over. As she passed by the tree where she and Sully had lingered the previous afternoon, she couldn't help but picture them as still being there, hiding from Rose.

For the sake of a quiet, calm wedding and to avoid the prospect of having her mother-in-law hate her for the rest of her life, she tried hard to keep quiet. She made an effort not to engage in any conflict, or to go face to face with Rose, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Rose's cold attitude and careless remarks were intentional.

And Sully… She truly hated psychology, but it didn't take a Freud to see the attachment between the mother and her only child. Brennan sighed and rubbed the goosebumps which prickled her arms even though her long sleeves. She thought back to Angela's words… Would things always be like this with Sully? Would Rose always interfere in their business?

As she walked slowly, letting her eyes drink in every little detail of the tall trees flanking her, the perfumed air invaded her nostrils, a deep scent of apples mixed with grass. Drops of water occasionally dropped from the leaves of the trees, a combination of the morning dew and the rain that fell the previous night. The same rain that had kept her up for most of the night.

She blamed it on the loud thunder and the tree branches tapping on her window, but she knew deep down that her insomnia was caused by something else. It was the lack of a warm body next to her that left her wide-eyed through the night, staring at the ceiling as if looking for answers.

Tossing and turning got her nowhere, but the lingering scent of Sully's cologne on the pillows graced her with a couple of hours of rest. But then the rain got stronger, and the tree branches were again blown against her window, drumming out a demanding rhythm. With an irrational glare sent at the offending window, she'd quickly made her way out of her room, tiptoeing into the hall to make a smooth escape after a restless night.

Yawning deeply, she didn't bother to cover her mouth, knowing that no one else would be venturing through the orchard at this hour. The sleepless night was beginning to get to her as she felt her muscles ache for her comfortable and warm bed. But she already gotten this far, and there was no point in going back now.

Rubbing her eyes in an effort to will the tiredness away from her body, again her engagement ring brushed her skin, now touching her brow lightly. From time to time she caught herself looking at it, as if making sure it was there, and that the whole situation was real.

Her arm dropped back to her side and she sighed softly. She loved Sully, she knew did. He was funny and carefree, and so different from herself. While he went out of his way to avoid a conflict, she unintentionally started one. It was in her nature to speak her mind. It was in his nature to go with the flow. And that was a storm mixed with a tranquil sea.

Brennan shuddered as she thought back to the last argument they had, the one that had occurred the previous morning when the Sullivan clan had been dropped on them like bombs, leaving her disoriented, confused and seeking shelter.

_"Timmy!" Rose flew through the lobby of the hotel, arms wide in welcome as she enveloped __her son in a hug. He smiled broadly as she let go of him, her hands resting fondly on his shoulders as she kissed his cheek. _

"_Hey, mom," he said, his left hand twisted back as he tried to maintain his hold on Brennan as she watched by his side. Rose grinned, but the smile faltered when she registered the unfamiliar hand entwined with her son's tanned one._

"_And who is this?" she asked, traces of disdain which she made no attempt to hide coloring every syllable._

"_This is my fiancée, Temperance," he informed her as he squeezed Brennan's hand in reassurance, his chest swelling with pride. Her polite smile faded as Rose remained straight faced, staring at her. They shook hands briefly, a very light contact that seemed sincere to neither._

_Apparently learning all she needed to about her son's fiancée, Rose turned her attention back to Sully,__ "You must come with me, Timmy. I want them to give me a room next to yours." Grabbing his hand, she pulled him towards the front desk. _

"_Mom, the floor Temperance and I are on is full," Sully said, apologetically pulling Brennan alongside him as he went. _

"_You two are in the same room?" Rose asked as she placed her small hand bag on the counter, smiling at the concierge as she inquired about her reservations. _

"_Well, yeah," Sully said, his brow furrowed as Brennan tugged at his hand, a silent request for an explanation._

"_Well, then I'll get you another room next to mine because you two can't share a room in the wedding week."_

_Brennan was the first to protest.__ "Really, Mrs. Sullivan -" _

_She was cut off as Rose turned her brown eyes toward her with a smile, "Call me Rose, dear. I insist." There was a strange kind of sweetness in her voice, like honey attracting bees to a trap._

"Rose_, two rooms really aren't necessary. Sully and I are engaged and far from being virgins." A sharp pull on her hand brought her gaze to Sully as he stared at her, eyes wide and mouth in a thin line. She felt like she'd done something wrong, but she saw no flaw in her logic._

_"__But then where's the mystery? It seems as though you've got nothing left to discover" She turned to the concierge, saying firmly, "I'll take two rooms please." She purposefully moved over to pay, signaling that the conversation was officially over._

'_Sully," Brennan hissed in a whisper not nearly low enough to conceal her words. _

"_What? She's my mother, what do you want me to do?" he hissed back, faking a smile as his mother turned back to look at him over her shoulder._

"_Well, I have a father, but I don't let him rule my life," she said, now in full voice. Rose caught the words but remained silent, choosing to let the matter slide for now as she had far greater things to accomplish. Grabbing her son by the arm, she led him firmly to the large lounge room where all his family and her friends were waiting._

_They sat side by side as everyone shared__ the details of the beautiful ceremony Rose had planned for her baby boy, Brennan only listening to the odd word on meaningless flower preferences and wedding parties. Barely paying attention, she did pick up on a certain phrase of her future mother-in-law, but could never be sure what it meant and whom it was meant for._

"…_recipe for heartbreak, I'll tell you." Rose had spoken with a certain tone, her eyes resting on Brennan as she swirled a glass of orange juice and the other woman she spoke with nodded solemnly, stealing a glance at the bride._

_Brennan suddenly became aware of her state of loneliness. Her friends still away, her family in pieces… She couldn't stop the sad expression that graced her features. _

_As Sully caught the glint of unshed and unwanted tears in her eyes, he squeezed her hand in comfort. She smiled at him, secretly grateful for his safe presence around her. He tilted his head, indicating the exit door that led to the apple orchard. She nodded in return, and with a very quick excuse, they both disappeared as a chorus of Timmys echoed through the room. _

She wondered if this was going to be her life now, always ready for a fight with Rose to get Sully's attention as a reward. She never was and never wanted to be an ultimatum kind of woman, but she felt cornered now, trapped between an uncomfortable yet safe silence and the overwhelming urge to take back the control that was stolen from her.

This conflict continued inside of her, but the answer was lost in the fog of her own uncertainty, rooted deep within her insecurity when it came to matters of the heart. As the morning mist around her seemed to grant her passage, she caught sight of the strong stone wall which surrounded the inn and the orchard. The child inside her had been anxious to see what was hidden beyond those walls, but Sully had playfully forbidden her from crossing the gates.

As she looked up at the walls, the bright red apples hanging from the trees demanded her attention. Like a true daughter of Eve giving in to temptation, she slowly reached for the closest fruit. The apple felt cold, almost frozen under her fingers and she felt slightly foolish at the thrill that coursed through her body. She gave the apple a light tug and before she could change her mind, the stalk broke.

Bringing the fruit down to her mouth, its fresh perfume enchanted her as well as its lively color. Giving in to her body's silent demand, her teeth closed around it, the slight pressure breaking the skin as she felt the sweet flavor on her tongue.

With a small smile, she took careful steps towards the gates, her bitten apple still in hand. A red metal sign hanging on the chain which held the gate closed reading KEEP OUT, was the last warning she got, and the last one she ignored.

Unwrapping the chains from the gates, she dropped them to the ground along with the bright red warning. With some difficulty and a lot of strength, the gate creaked loudly as it made a small opening for her and passing through it, she took a final look at the misted orchard before walking away.

The forest was darker then she expected, but she still kept making her way slowly forward, aiming for the light she hoped would be beyond the trees. The darkness still partly shrouded the ground from her sight and she could feel the cold dew on the branches as she gripped onto them for support when the forest floor became slippery with leaves.

Barely able to see, her foot got caught in the root of a tree and she tripped, her hands reaching forward as she tried to grab onto something before hitting the ground. A strong branch was her salvation as she gripped it like a strong arm protecting her from the fall, and this couldn't help but stir up images of Booth.

She thought about the way he had tried to defend her the night before. She wasn't his to protect, but still he let his heart rule his brain, and the words always came flying out, regardless of how inappropriate they may be. That was something she loved before; now, it was an undesired kind of protection.

As she stepped over a particularly large root, her thoughts drifted back to the inn, to the room she knew he was in. What was he doing now? Tossing and turning like she'd done for most of the night? Having nightmares about his past? Or was he blessed with an undisturbed night of sleep? Had her presence affected him as much as his had affected her?

Her head was starting to throb, a headache forming undoubtedly from her lack of rest. With everything happening so fast, she had no time to catch up with her current reality, and she felt like she was spinning out of control. They weren't the center anymore, just random points colliding in space.

Taking a few more steps forward, her eyes adjusted to the light shining down on the clearing and her gaze came to rest on a small simple church ahead of her, with its walls made of the same stone that surrounded the orchard she just escaped from. A large copper bell hung in the tower, just a little lower than a tall tree standing proud by the building.

Next to the back entrance, she could see a traditional cemetery, with headstones sticking up unevenly from the ground, the marble angels watching over someone's loved ones. Fresh flowers grew near the headstones, but instead being left by a relative, they blossomed directly from the ground. But beyond the mystical atmosphere this place possessed, what intrigued her most was the lonely figure standing still beside one of the headstones.

The man's back was turned to her, but the tense broad shoulders and the firm way he held himself were enough for identification. With a brief glance over her shoulder, she saw the orchard again through the woods, but she felt glad to be away from there. She had come this far, she wouldn't go back now.

She took as much care as possible not to make any sound as she approached, avoiding the broken branches and dry leaves, but the way his head tilted up slightly let her know he sensed her coming.

He didn't turn like she expected, and she was disappointed not to see his face, wanting very much to see him, especially his smile. But she knew him too well to hope for charm with his rigid posture.

"You don't have to sneak up on me, you know?" he said calmly, turning his head just a little bit in her direction to see her standing beside him, a curious look on her face as she watched him. She gave him a barely perceptible smile, but something seemed to soften in his eyes. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked quietly and she nodded. "Me neither."

Letting out a sigh, he looked around for a few seconds before making a decision. Easing himself down to the ground, he sat there, waiting expectantly for her to sit with him. How could she say no? So she sat beside him, watching as he ripped a few blades of grass from the ground. So close to him, he could smell her perfume, like peaches, sweeter than her usual fragrances.

Since he made no move to talk, she decided that the responsibility for conversation would have to fall on her. Looking around, she tried to find something to comment on, but found that she was truly bad at making small talk. As she turned her head to look at him, her eyes fell on the headstone that he had been staring at.

His name, Henry, was almost erased by the years and the weather, but she could see the date clearly. The headstone said that the man was born in 1924 and killed in 1943 during World War Two. Immediately a flicker of recognition passed through her eyes, and instinctively he knew she understood.

"My grandfather fought during the war. He was a pilot like my dad was," he said quietly, lowering his head closer to his chest as he breathed in and out, very slowly. She reached out, placing her hand over his arm to offer all the support she could at the moment. "He died about ten years ago."

"I'm sorry," she said in a whisper which carried through the wind as he lifted his head to look at her, seeing blue eyes shining with compassion. He took her hand in his, squeezing it in gratitude before pushing his emotions back, afraid of what could happen being so close to her in a vulnerable state.

Taking a deep breath, he let a smile play on his lips as he looked at her other hand. "You going to share that?" he asked playfully, tilting his head to indicate the apple she was clutching. She smiled back at him, glad he was back to his old self.

"Sure," she said, handing the now warm apple to him. She expected him to just bite it, but instead he gripped it with both hands and twisted it in half. "Where did you learn that?" she asked.

"My grandfather used to do that," he said. Being the gentleman he was, he handed her the unbitten piece that she gracefully took. There was something erotic and forbidden about the fact that his lips made contact with the same piece of the apple her lips were on before, and he swallowed hard at the thought.

"How are you holding up?" She didn't answer, just continued to chew on her piece of apple, but the stiffening of her posture was enough to tell him everything he needed to know.

"I'm fine," she said as she swallowed.

"Don't lie to me; you're no good at it," he said with a smirk.

She just glared at him, saying pointedly, "I don't need you to protect me from Rose like you did yesterday. I'm fine on my own."

"Whatever you say, Bones." His tone was condescending, and she saw right through it as he bit back a grin. Annoyed by his behavior, she decided that it was probably time for her to go back to her world, and so she stood up, intent on going back and leaving him there.

But before she could take many steps towards the forest, he called softly, "Temperance." It held so many emotions, so much said in one word, that she couldn't stop herself turning back to him. "Do you know what today is?" he asked, his eyes never leaving hers.

She smiled, amused by his question, "Of course I know. It's five days to my wedding." He shook his head, pushing himself off the ground and wiping his hands clean on his pants.

"It's the anniversary of the day I first told you I loved you," he said quietly.

A tiny gasp escaped her throat, the sound barely audible as the emotions surged inside her chest. She turned her back to him, averting her eyes as she took another purposeful step away from him.

"I have to go," she said quickly, and within seconds her small frame was engulfed by the forest, leaving only Booth behind as he continued to walk amongst the graves, eyes focused on the slowly retreating shadows rather than the sun coming up before him.

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**Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! **


	6. Vibrant Paradise

**A/N: Okay, so I managed to write this new chapter. I hope everyone likes it, and hopefully you'll have something good to comment! Thanks to everyone reading the story and reviewing! You're few, but you're loyal! So thank you!**

**Now my gratitude goes to bertie456 for revising the chapter and for bella-mi-amore and goldpiece for helping me work with the storyline and everything! Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.**

* * *

"I think the birds of paradise will look lovely in the venue. They have such vibrant colors."

Brennan stared in horror from the doorway of the dining room. Birds of paradise? No way. And why wasn't she involved in this discussion?

She looked over at Sully as he stood a few feet away, talking to an uncle of his, but he just smiled and shrugged. "Rose?" she called to her future monster-in-law, "What's going on?"

"Oh, dear, we're just getting a little head-start on the preparations for the wedding, that's all," she said, her hands gesturing around the table where various portfolios were spread.

"Shouldn't I, as the bride, be the one in charge of the decisions?" Brennan asked, trying to keep her growing anger at bay as she approached the table.

"Well, take a seat then and you can help," said Rose as she gestured to the chair the other side of the coordinator as though kindly inviting Brennan to help organize her own wedding. Shaking her head, she tried to brush those thoughts away, deciding that this whole week would go by a lot easier if she wasn't butting heads with Rose. Besides, how much worse could this get?

Smiling slightly, Brennan sat beside Rose, her eyes roaming over the pictures of numerous center-pieces brightly decorated with vibrant birds-of-paradise. Sighing, she waved at Angela and all her squints as they ate breakfast along with Booth, Rebecca and Parker. She wanted to go over there, but first, she needed to get all her wedding-related things out of the way.

"This is Henry, dear, and he'll be coordinating the wedding", Rose said as she gestured to the small man sitting beside her, his thick black glasses resting on the bridge of his nose as he smiled warmly.

"May I say, you are a gorgeous bride," Henry said with a hint of excitement in his voice as he eyed her up and down, measuring her in a way that made her just a little uncomfortable. She extended her hand to shake his, and he accepted, shaking it more softly than she was used to with men.

"Thanks, I guess. I don't know much about planning weddings so you'll probably have to explain a lot to me," Brennan said quickly. Give her a smashed up skull and she would put it back together in no time, but when it came to this, she was as clueless as Booth was with the science at the lab.

"No problem; that's why I'm here, to make sure your wedding day is the best day of your life," he said, and Brennan nearly laughed. She understood the social importance people gave it, but how could this basically symbolic ceremony be the happiest day of her life? The concept was foreign to her. "How about we start with the basics and go from there?" he asked, and Brennan nodded silently.

"Oh, I have so many wonderful ideas for the decoration," said Rose as she started going through the photographs. "Henry, you need to get those ice sculptures for me, dear."

"I'm on it, Rose. Don't worry. Now do you want the cherubim or the swans?" said Henry as he wrote everything down in his notebook.

"I think I prefer the swans, they would go better with the white doves and the carriage," Rose said, tilting her head to the side as if in deep thought.

"Ice sculptures? Why do we need ice sculptures, or doves or a carriage for that matter? The church is just beyond the orchard," said Brennan as she flipped through one of the portfolios, worry steadily increasing to panic.

"I think these are going to look wonderful with the colors I'm picking," she said, passing the anthropologist a large portfolio to illustrate, still ignoring her questions.

"Orange?" Temperance's head snapped up from the pictures to stare at the woman sitting beside her with a smug smile planted over her berry lips.

"It's not orange, dear, it's tangerine. Oh, I can see it already. The church decorated with birds-of-paradise and silk, all the bridesmaids in matching dresses. We've even managed to find some suits to compliment the shade of the flowers." Now Brennan's eyes were just a little bit wider than normal as she visualized her own wedding through Rose's eyes. The word 'scary' came to mind.

"Tangerine? Rose, shouldn't I have been the one to decide on the colors and dresses, and flowers?" Brennan asked, her limited experience with these situations still enough to give her conviction to question Rose.

"Well, Temperance, since you said you didn't know much about weddings, I just thought I could help and make the decisions for you so you don't have to worry about a thing," she said in a sweet tone, but all Brennan heard was 'I'm taking over this wedding'.

"I did say that, but I also said I wanted to be involved in the process, not have someone do it for me," she said, trying to reason with her mother-in-law as the woman looked more and more offended by the second.

"Honey, I'm only trying to make sure my baby's wedding doesn't turn into a fiasco for lack of proper planning," Rose said, and something inside Brennan simply snapped as she sat up straighter in her chair. Alarmed, Angela watched everything from afar, her eyes meeting Booth's as they waited for Brennan's reaction.

"Look, you may not like me, I know, and you may even feel that I'll never be good enough for your son. That's fine; I don't put much stock into what people think of me. But if you think that you're going to control us, just forget it, because whether you like it or not, I'm marrying your son."

Rose just stood there, her mouth hanging open as she gazed at Brennan with an expression of disbelief. Nobody had ever had the nerves to talk to her like that and she wasn't accustomed to anyone contradicting her 'orders'.

Trying to do some damage control, Angela walked briskly over to her friend's side, a tight smile on her face as she looked at the photographs scattered on the table. "Honey, you're re-planning the wedding? Now, you can't do that without me around," she said, giving her friend a squeeze on the arm as she grinned. Brennan smiled back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"So what do we have here?" Angela asked as she leaned over to get a better look just as her eyes caught a glimpse of a bright orange maid-of-honor's dress. "Honey, you know I love you to bits, but there is no way you're going to get me inside anything orange."

"Why would you need to wear it? You're not in the wedding," Rose said, her nose higher as she adopted a rigid stance, as if daring her to question that. The look of shock in Angela's face was enough to send Brennan to the edge again and as Booth edged forward to help, his partner spoke again.

"Just stop, okay! Angela is my best friend, she's my maid-of-honor, and if there's someone who isn't in this wedding, that's you," she said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry, Rose, but your help is neither necessary nor desired. You may control your son, but you don't control me".

Rose was acutely aware of all Brennan's friends following her every move. Deciding on her best exit strategy, she bit her bottom lip as if trying not to cry while walking away from the bride, finally disappearing through the doors.

Brennan let out a breath she never realized she was holding as she watched Rose leave, and Booth and Angela's soft smiles told her she did the right thing. She took the control that was hers by right. But that reassurance vanished as soon as she saw her soon-to-be husband made his way over to her with quick strides.

"What happened here?" Sully asked, his voice carrying an accusatory tone.

"Your mother was taking over everything again, so I spoke my mind," Brennan answered calmly. It was actually very liberating, almost cathartic, the way she had let it out.

"Tempe, you promised me you would try to get along with her," he said.

"I tried, but she's not exactly making it easy for me. She wanted an orange-themed wedding, Sully." She took a photo of a groom's orange tuxedo and held it up in front of him. "Orange," she repeated louder for emphasis.

"Seriously?" he asked, his mind trying to conjure up an image of himself in an orange tuxedo that wouldn't give him nightmares later on, but that was a difficult task.

"Yes, and she wanted doves, and a carriage, and swans, and most likely a lot of other things that I just don't want," she complained, trying hard to make him understand her side of things since she knew for sure Rose would twist everything that happened. "She can't take control like this, not over me".

"She's my mother, Tempe; she just wants to see me happy."

"So do I, but you don't see me trying to change or control you," she countered, hands on hips as she stood before him.

He ran his fingers through his hair as he let out a sigh. "I'll go talk to her," he volunteered, glancing at Brennan briefly before turning and walking away, leaving her behind.

Angela could see in Brennan's rigid stance that this had really taken its toil on her. She didn't need this, not less than a week before her wedding. "Honey?" she called out tentatively, placing a hand on her arm.

"Yes, Ange?"

"What do you say we get this whole preparation done so we can enjoy the rest of the day? I'll help," Angela suggested, and Brennan smiled sincerely before nodding.

"Okay," she said as she took her seat again, Angela right next to her.

"So what does the bride wants?" Henry asked with a smile as he tore out the page with all of Rose's instructions and crumpled it. "Any ideas or do you want me to go through the basics with you?"

"I think we can start with choosing the colors. What do you think, Bren?" Angela asked, sliding a portfolio over to her friend.

"Well, I always liked blue," Booth contributed as he dropped to a seat Brennan's other side, "Or maybe cowboy themed? Or Star Wars?"

She laughed out loud, slapping his arm playfully as Angela snickered too. "I'm not getting married dressed as Leia," the bride said.

Booth shrugged. "Just a suggestion."

"No, thank you. I think I'd prefer something a little less tacky," Brennan said, smiling genuinely at him. "How about gold and burgundy?" she asked, turning her eyes to Henry for approval.

"Excellent choice, both elegant and modern," Henry said, and Brennan beamed at making the right choice.

Having no nightmarish mother-in-law in sight proved to be very productive as they continued to plan the wedding, Booth and Angela doing their best at taking the bride's mind off her territorial dispute with Rose. Luckily, said bride seemed to loosen up as they efficiently discussed flowers, dresses, and things Brennan had never heard of before.

* * *

Sully rubbed his temples as he walked towards the large dining room. His mother had taken her time telling him how Temperance wasn't the right woman for him. Many objections were made, and after a lot of crying and emotional blackmail later, he agreed to talk to his fiancée and get this sorted out.

The distinctive sound of laughter was heard as he approached the room, and it was only after he stepped through the door that he really saw the source. Near the center of the room he saw his bride and Booth in what he assumed was an embrace, their faces close together as they shared a private joke.

"Sully," she called out happily as she saw him, disentangling herself from Booth's arms as she walked to him. His gaze darted from Brennan to Booth and back, and something flashed in his eyes.

"Sorry, I'll come back when you're not too busy with your ex-boyfriend," he said, both his harsh tone and words shocking Brennan as she looked taken aback.

"What? Sully, this isn't what you think-" she began to explain, but he cut her off.

"Then enlighten me."

Brennan took a deep breath as she gestured to some people he didn't recognize standing near the wall of the large dining room. "The photographers needed to set up the lighting for the reception; I felt stupid standing there by myself, so Booth helped."

There was no doubt in his mind that she was mad, but there was something about Booth's proximity to her that he just couldn't get over. "I'm sure he was more than willing to play groom," Sully said through clenched teeth.

Brennan sighed, throwing her hands up as she turned towards the door that led to the apple orchard. "I can't do this with you now," she said as she was the one walking away this time.

Regret took over Sully's mind as she disappeared from his sight, and only then he realized the harsh words he had spoken.

Booth had stood silent as they argued, but as soon as she was out of the room, he took the golden opportunity for some alone time with his buddy. "You better get your act together, Sul."

"What?" the younger man asked as he turned towards him.

"You continue to side with mommy and let this whole stupid jealousy thing get under your skin, you'll lose her before you know it." Taking purposeful steps towards Sully, he looked right into his face as he spoke in a low voice. "Trust me, that's something you'll regret."

Understanding flashed in Sully's eyes, and for the first time he actually felt sorry for his former colleague. "I'll keep that in mind," he replied simply.

Booth nodded, turning his back to the groom as he walked out. Sully dropped himself in a chair, sighing deeply as he thought back to a few days before, when everything was simpler and he had yet to make the disastrous mistake of calling his mother to let her know of his imminent wedding.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed it, I thought it was time to get Rose in her place! Let me know what you think! **

**How about the last episode? Got me shocked for about an hour after, seriously couldn't sleep! I'm not very good with post-eps fics so you won't be seeing one from me, but that epi sure got this place busy and running, huh? **

**Kisses, people! Love ya!**


	7. The Tangerine Factor

**A/N: Hey guys, so here is the new chapter for this fic! Hope you all enjoy it! **

**A HUGE thank you to goldpiece for letting me nag her so much and for the wonderful beta work!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.**

* * *

After the argument with Rose, things had settled down between her and the older woman with Sully's support finally on her side. She could hear the harpist playing inside the small church as she stood, waiting to walk down the aisle. She smoothed down the orange tuck ups..._wait a minute, orange?_ That was not what she'd picked out at all!

Looking down, her eyes widened in shock as she registered layers and layers of 'tangerine' fabric forming what could only be described as the most hideous dress ever worn by a bride. She gasped in horror.

_What's going on_, she wondered as the doors before her swung open and the congregation turned to look at her. On one side sat Sully's guests, the pews practically overflowing with family and friends, while on the other side, Hodgins, Zack, Rebecca, Parker and Booth sat, large frowns on their faces.

An organ began to play in the background as she slowly lead herself to the altar, its tune a little more cheerful than she would have expected for a wedding ceremony. The soprano began to sing, her melodic voice carrying out through the small church with the first verses of 'Sexual Healing'. If she wasn't as poised as she was, Brennan would have tripped over the hem of her dress. _Sexual Healing?_

She glanced around the church as the sounds of birds competed with the song. What the hell was going on here? Why were there birds of paradise everywhere? And why was she, apparently, the only one to find it all too strange?

By the altar, Angela stood by the bride's side, her large orange - tangerine - dress giving her a meringue-shape. A parrot stood on her shoulder, wiggling his head up and down as he spoke nonsense. The soprano hit a particularly sensitive note and Brennan flinched, her ears ringing as the birds chirped louder.

Through her orange veil, Brennan could see her fiancé standing by the altar, just waiting for her. She took the remaining steps and stood before him, trying to ignore the parrot behind her saying 'mistake' over and over again as Sully approached her to lift the veil off her face.

As he did, it wasn't Sully that Brennan was standing there with, but Rose, dressed in a big orange dress and a scowl on her face. Startled, she walked backwards towards the exit of the church, dropping the bouquet of orange roses on the floor. She felt two strong hands gripping her shoulders from behind, and as she turned, his warm face greeted her. "Booth," she whispered. He smiled at her, saying nothing as he held her body close to his. She closed her eyes, willing this nightmare to end.

The sound of waves crashing called her attention and she stepped out of his embrace to see what the sound that reached her ears was. No longer in the church, they now stood by the edge of a white sand beach in the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen. "Oh my God," she whispered, a hand falling over her mouth in awe. The breeze kissed her bare legs, playing with the white material of her light summer dress and her locks were flying everywhere.

Booth offered her his hand and she took it, her fingers curling around the white sand beneath her toes as they walked. He linked their fingers together, kissing her knuckles softly before opening his mouth to speak. No words came out of his lips, only a hollow sound, like something banging against wood.

Right before her eyes, the sunset began to fade to black and the bright sea and white sand were barely discernable as some sort of haze was lifted over her eyes. She reached out to hold on to him, to keep him from fading away, but her fingers only grasped the fog that began to thicken around her, pulling her from slumber.

Her eyes opened, making out figures in the dark of the night as she slowly recognized her own hotel room. The dream was still fresh in her mind, and the feelings it evoked still lingered under her skin. A sound called her attention and she turned on the bed, kicking the covers down and away from her legs and feet.

"Booth?" Brennan called out as the knocking continued. She was still disoriented from sleep and from her own nightmare to think clearly as she stood up to open the door. Needless to say the face of her former lover wasn't the one to greet her as she pushed the door open.

Instead, she found her current fiancé standing there, hands stuffed inside his robe's pockets as he smiled with uncertainty. "Sully," she said in surprise, her hand clutching the hard wood beneath her fingertips as her eyes were now fully open, aware of his every move.

"Can we talk?" he asked in a small voice, his eyes cast down. She seemed to ponder over his request, studying his as if she was trying to figure out his intentions. Seemingly making up her mind, she pushed the door further open, stepping aside as he walked into her room.

Sully stood by her nightstand, messy sheets fallen on the floor as she had kicked them from her legs in that way he always adored. Brennan motioned for him to sit on the bed as she did the same, tucking her legs beneath her to warm up her cold feet.

"What is it, Sully?" There was no anger in her tone, no passion. Only exhaustion and a stab of sadness underneath.

He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair as he turned his back to her. "Where were you today? I was trying to find you," he said, a hand mindlessly playing with the cotton pillow case.

Without him saying Brennan knew what he really wanted to know. If she was with Booth all day. "I was with Angela by the apple orchards," she said, her tone leaving no room for questioning or doubts. Sully was a man smart enough to know she wouldn't lie.

"What do you want to talk about, Sully? Because it's very late and I want to get some sleep tonight." There was definitely some hostility towards him now; he could feel it, emanating from her every pore.

He took a deep breath, finding his softest tone to speak, trying not to anger her any further. "I was thinking about us. About our relationship."

She was a little taken by his voice, a sweet kind of sadness carrying out, matching the barely perceptible turn up of his lips in a smile as he turned to face her fully. Brennan had had enough relationships in her life to know conversations like these hardly ever ended well. "What about our relationship, Sully?" she asked in a calm, collected way, unconsciously preparing herself for any blow.

"I was thinking about our lives. Together, I mean. I was trying to think of every difficult thing we have to face and how it would be if I didn't have you in my life." There was melancholy carrying in his voice as he stared at the bedroom curtains, slightly pulled in front of the windows as it hid the darkness outside.

"And how would that be?" she asked hesitantly, emotions she never knew coursing through her body as she listened to him. Was it fear that gripped her now? Or maybe it was sorrow, or something else? Something she didn't dare believe she could understand?

"When I saw you fighting with my mother, I thought you were being impatient. I thought you weren't giving her a chance," he continued, trying hard not to stop at the look on her face, the one that told him exactly what he feared would come out of her mouth. "Please, just let me finish," he pleaded just as she opened her mouth to voice her thoughts. She closed it again and nodded, trying to keep her temper at bay.

"After I calmed her down and went to look for you and found you with Booth, I confess I lost it. I thought you weren't trying to get along with my mother and to top everything you were spending way more time with your ex than you were with me. And I was hurt."

"You were the one that would leave my side every chance you got," she fired back, unable to keep her mouth shut any longer. Brennan wasn't one known for keeping her opinions to herself and staying quiet while he accused her of being guilty of the fight between her and her mother-in-law was just outrageous.

"I know," he said, and the look that settled over her features was one of pure confusion. How could he accuse her and exonerate her at the same time? Seeing her confusion, Sully continued. "I was so caught up with my family and my mother that I forgot the most important part of this whole thing, and that is you, Tempe. I was an idiot, leaving you aside while my mother dragged me everywhere with her. I should have been with you every second since she got here, like I want to do for the rest of my life."

"So what are you saying? Do you want to continue with this whole wedding?" she asked, eyes just a little brighter and clearer now as he crawled to her side of the bed, reaching for her warm hands to clasp them in his.

"I tried to imagine my life without you, and the truth is, I don't want to do that. I don't want to envision a future where you're not with me. I'm in this, with you, if you'll still have me," he whispered as he bent his face to kiss the tender skin of her hand, lips lingering in contact as she closed her eyes almost involuntarily.

"Will you still marry me, Tempe?" Slowly, her eyes opened as she gazed at his face, his own eyes closed as he caressed her hand. But something still wasn't right, and she couldn't let that go.

Softly sliding her hand from his grasp, she tried to ignore the fearful look on his face as she crossed her arms over her chest. "If we have any hopes in making this relationship work, you need to put me before everyone else, Sully. I can't be the second woman in your life."

Persistently, he reached for her hand again, bringing his body closer to hers as he touched her forehead to his, an intimate move that both comforted and scared her for some unknown reason. "You could never be second in my life, Tempe. You're the only one that matters." He kissed her rosy lips, hands tangling in a mass of auburn as he caressed her lips with his tongue. "You're my family now," he breathed into her inviting mouth.

Family. Now there was something she was sure she could never have. From a tender age, Brennan began to believe she didn't belong with anyone, that maybe she just didn't have the right to belong anywhere. She came to believe she had found her place again, not long ago, but that was ripped from her as well, and the wound it left would still hurt from time to time. Now, she was given the chance to start over, to have a family again. Could she take it?

"What do you say, Tempe? Will you be my family?" he asked, a little nervous laugh escaping his lips as the seconds ticked by. She closed her eyes, finding his lips again as if she could find all the answers she seeked. Their kiss wasn't hurried but a soft brush of their tongues, a tender touch of hands on skin as their bodies began to respond with their own unique rhythm.

With great effort, Sully leaned back to break their kiss, still needing one last answer from her. "Are we doing this?" She only nodded, and the smile on his face told her everything she ever needed to know about the man before her. Enthusiastic kisses were dropped all over her face, her neck and shoulders, traveling over her skin in delight.

"What made you change your mind?" she asked and met his troubled expression. "About your mother, I mean."

"I think it was about the time she started babbling to me about cherubim, swans and carriages," he laughed, and at seeing the horrified expression on Brennan's face, he tried to soothe her. "Hey, don't worry. You're in full charge of this wedding, okay?"

"It's not the wedding I'm worried about, Sully. It's the marriage. If we let her control us this early in our relationship, she'll never stop, she'll always find a way to impose her will over ours, and you know I can't handle that."

"Hey, my mother lives across the country from where we live and I don't have that much contact with her. Besides, I know you enough to know that you'll never be controlled. Not by me, and even less by my mother." She didn't seem convinced, so he pressed on. "I promise I'll always be beside you, and we'll get through everything together, okay?" She didn't answer him, so he nudged her shoulder, earning a small laugh from his bride.

"Okay," she answered him just as his lips found hers again. "Don't you have to go to your own room?" she asked between kisses.

"Are you kidding me? No way. I'm sleeping here with you today," he said, proving his point by stretching the bed covers and settling himself on his side of the bed, patting the other side and wiggling his brow in invitation.

"Don't get any ideas, we have an early morning," she said, smiling triumphantly as his face fell slightly. She laid herself under the covers beside him and he pulled her body flush against his chest, wanting to hold her all night to compensate the loneliness he felt in his own empty bed. As far as he was concerned, his mother would never make a decision regarding his life ever again. Not when her meddling almost cost him what he treasured the most.

* * *

She knew this wasn't one of her brightest ideas, but she couldn't help it. Silently wandering thought the halls of the inn, Brennan searched for the right number on the right door, well aware of how just how late the time was, but this had to be done.

As her fiancé's arms enveloped her during the night, she tried to find sleep but it was all to no avail. Her conversation with Sully kept playing over and over again in her mind and she couldn't help the feeling that there was someone else's finger in this pie. And she knew just who that finger belonged to. Booth. It had him written all over it.

Using only the dim light provided by the moon streaming through the glass windows, she did her best to discern the number on every door as best as she could. When she finally reached the right one, her fingers hovered over the wood, trying to decide if this was the right thing to do. Brennan knew that if she had this conversation in the morning, it left room for prying eyes and curious ears, but now, at night it would be just them. No audience, no onlookers, no interruptions.

Her decision was made. Her knuckles connected softly with the wood three times in a row and she waited patiently for someone to answer. When no one did, she repeated the motion, a little stronger this time. Again, no answer. The little patience she had was almost gone. Four knocks followed, and this time she heard movement inside and heavy footsteps followed.

The door was yanked open with much force, and Booth's confused and slightly annoyed face came to view as he closed the door behind him, stepping before her in the hall. "What are you doing here at this God forsaken hour, Bones?" he asked, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palms as he tried to keep himself awake and standing.

She was too distracted to answer him right away as her eyes drifted to his muscular bare chest and well defined biceps. She had forgotten just how good he looked without a shirt. The messy hair sticking in every direction only contributed to her wandering thoughts and for a moment, she remembered the thrill she felt waking up next to him every morning when they were together.

"Bones," he called out, waving a had over her face as she snapped out of her reverie only to find herself slightly more annoyed at seeing his face.

"What right do you think you have to meddle in my relationship with Sully?" she asked, her voice an octave higher than usual and knowing her so well, Booth realized he was in big trouble.

"What are you talking about?" Evade the question; that was his chosen technique to deal with her upcoming rage. Too bad she knew him so well.

"Don't play coy with me, Booth. I know you and Sully too well not to realize you two have been talking. What did you say to him?" she asked, stepping into his personal space. It was unconsciously done, and she didn't seem to realize just how close their bodies were.

"Hey, I just said some things he needed to hear. It was long overdue," Booth defended, knowing with absolutely no doubt in his mind that what he had spoken to Sully was the honest truth.

"It was not your place to say anything to him, Booth. This is not your business," she argued back at him. His own rage was rising, boiling over but he tried to remain calm for the sake of his little boy peacefully sleeping inside the room, worried about waking him up at such an early hour.

"So what did you want me to do, Bones? You wanted me to sit back and just let him treat you like that? Putting his mother over you and letting you alone and hurting on your own wedding week? You know I couldn't do that," he said.

"Why? Why couldn't you just let me handle this by myself? I'm a big girl, Booth, I can take care of myself and of my relationship."

"I know, okay, I know, but I can't help it."

"Why?" she asked again, stubbornly.

"Because-" he held his tongue right that second, before the wrong words tumbled from his lips to her ears. Before he ruined the only part of his relationship with her that remained alive. All because of a heated argument in the hall. "Because I care about you, Bones. No matter what, I'll always take care of you, whether you want me to or not."

She hated that, the way he used his words on her and she wanted nothing more than to just step into the comfort of his arms. "It's not your place to take care of me, Booth. It never was." She refused to back down, to let him wiggle his way out of this.

"Look, when you told me you were engaged, my first thought was to find a way to break it up, get you to come back to me. The thing is Bones, I only really want one thing, and that's for you to be happy. If Sully makes you happy, then I'm glad you found someone that can love you the way you need. I hoped it would be me, but if it can't then I'm glad it's him."

Dammit. She felt her eyes stinging, the moisture making her baby blue orbs even brighter as they shone with the pale moon light. She tried hard to remain impassive, but he had this gift of turning her into an emotional person, something she had no idea how to handle.

Sensing her inner turmoil, he took a step forward, arms stretched out to welcome her small frame. She hesitated at first but eventually gave in, burying her face in the crook of his neck as she smelled the lingering scent of the familiar cologne she always bought him for Christmas.

Closing her eyes, she tried to let go of some of the worry and anger inside her as she felt his arms tightening around her, keeping her safe from harm. Her mind and heart were overwhelmed with so much more she was capable of bearing, and she was now more confused than she ever was in her life as her thoughts drifted to her fiancé. Could one person feel at home in two different places?

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**Okay, so know you cna let me know what you think in a review! It'll be like a late birthday gift to me! See how nice I am? It's my birthday, and you're the one getting a present! Big kisses, and hopefully, I'll manage to update soon!**


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